Posted by Kirsten Gibbs Last updated 22nd October 2021 reading time
We humans are used to thinking of ourselves as self-aware, or self-conscious.
Except that most of the time we aren't. Â We work on auto-pilot, following our habitual paths, working through habitual behaviours without consciously reflecting at all.
We do have moments of conscious awareness - when we're thinking, or working out a problem - but these really are moments. 7 seconds on average.
Except when we are in conversation with other humans.  In conversation, we think, we reflect, we are fully self-conscious.  Sometimes for hours on end.  You might even say that conversations with other people are where we fully realise ourselves.
And of course, you can't have a proper conversation without being fully conscious of the other participants too.
You can't be seen until you learn to see. Not even by yourself.
